Anchor

ABSTRACT

An anchor with a U-shaped shank welded to a base on which are pivoted two symmetrical pointed flukes, each having an upwardly extending flange along one edge and a downwardly extending flange along the opposite edge with the flukes arranged so that no matter in which direction the anchor acts, there are always two flanges which extend downward and dig into the bottom and two flanges which extend upward. In the stored position, a rope link slidable on the shank straddles the pointed ends of the flukes and holds the flukes in an upright position.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Earl J. Kaercher 1 Ferncliff, Erie, Pa. 16505 211 App]. No. 779,524 {22] Filed Nov. 27, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 26, 1971 54 J ANCHOR 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 114/208 [51] Int. Cl B63b 21/36 [50] Field of Search 114/208 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,987,028 6/1961 Fair 114/208 3,057,318 10/1962 Churchward 2,894,474 7/1959 Donaldson Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix AttorneyRalph Hammar ABSTRACT An anchor witlta U-shaped shank welded to a base on which are pivoted two symmetrical pointed flukes, each having an upwardly extending flange along one edge and a downwardly extending flange along the opposite edge with the flukes arranged so that no matter in which direction the anchor acts, there are always two flanges which extend downward and dig into the bottom and two flanges which extend upward. 1n the stored position, a rope link slidable on the shank straddles the pointed ends of the flukes and holds the flukes in an upright position.

PATENTEDJANZBIBYI I 3557.739.

INVENTOR.

ANCHOR I This invention is intended to increase the holding ability of anchors having pivoted flukes, and to increase the convenience of storage by holding the pointed ends of the flukes adjacent the shank.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the anchor;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the anchor in the storage position; and

FIG. 3 is an end view of the anchor in an anchoring position.

The anchor has two flukes l welded to a rod 2 joumaled in a sleeve 3 welded to a base plate 4. A U-shaped shank conveniently made of a single piece of steel rod having spaced parallel arms 6 connected at the top by a loop 7 and having the lower ends of the arm each welded to the base plate 4. Adjacent the base plate each of the arms is formed into a loop 8 offset laterally outward from the arm. A rope link 9 having a length greater than the spacing between the pointed ends 10 of the flukes is freely slidable along either of the arms 6. In the anchoring position shown in FIG. 3, the rope link 9 exerts its pull on the loop 7. In the storage position shown in FIG. 2, the link straddles the pointed ends of the flukes and holds the flukes in an upright position adjacent the arms 6 of the shank.

Sometimes an anchor becomes stuck under a stone or log and cannot be released by pull along the length of the shank 5. Under these conditions, the boat is moved toward the anchor to relieve the tension on the rope and the rope link slides down to the lower end of the shank and seats in one of the offset loops 8. In this position as shown in dotted lines, a pull on the rope link now acts at a different angle and tends to back the flukes out from under the obstruction.

The flukes l are symmetrical and each has a flange 11 along its short edge and a flange 12 along its long edge. The flanges l1 and 12 extend in opposite directions and the flukes are arranged so that like flanges on one of the flukes extends in a direction opposite to the corresponding flange on the other fluke. That is, if the flanges 11 on one of the flukes extend downward so as to dig into the bottom, the flanges 11 on the adjacent fluke will extend upward. This arrangement improves the holding ability and makes the holding ability independent of the direction in which the anchor acts. That is, the anchor as shown in FIG. 3 is resisting a pull to the left. The same anchor when the flukes are pivoted to the opposite side of the shank will be equally effective in resisting a pull to the right.

Symmetrical stops 13 on the flukes on spacer collars l4 fixed to the flukes and on opposite sides of the sleeve 3 limit the minimum angle between the flukes and the base plate 4 so that the flukes are always in an effective position to dig into the bottom.

I claim:

1. An anchor having a base. a U-shaped shank upstanding from the base having spaced arms with lower ends fixed to the base and upper ends connected by a loop. a pair of generally planar flukes on opposite sides of the shank, said flukes having lower ends pivoted to the base, longer sides adjacent the shank, shorter sides remote from the shank and pointed ends adjacent the shank and remote from the base and formed by edges remote from the base connecting the longer and shorter sides of the flukes, flanges outstanding from the longer and shorter sides of the flukes, the flanges on the shorter sides of each fluke extending from the fluke in a direction opposite the flange on the longer side of the fluke, and the flanges on one fluke extending in a direction opposite the corresponding flange on the other fluke so each fluke has a downwardly extending flange to dig into a sand or like bottom and an upwardly extending flange to catch sand or the like and increase the holding ability of the fluke.

2. An anchor having a base, a U-shaped shank upstanding from the base having spaced arms with lower ends fixed to the base and upper ends connected by a loop, a pair of generally planar flukes on opposite sides of the shank, said flukes having lower ends pivoted to the base and pointed ends spaced from each other, said pointed ends being adjacent the shank and remote from the base, and an elongated rope link having one side between the arms of the shank and the other side outside the shank, said rope link being long enough to fit over the pointed ends of the flukes and hold the flukes adjacent the shank for storage.

3. The anchor of claim 1 in which the pointed ends of the flukes are spaced from each other, the anchor further has an elongated rope link having one side between the arms of the shank and the other side outside the shank, said rope link being long enough to fit over the pointed ends of the flukes and hold the flukes adjacent the shank for storage. 

1. An anchor having a base, a U-shaped shank upstanding from the base having spaced arms with lower ends fixed to the base and upper ends connected by a loop, a pair of generally planar flukes on opposite sides of the shank, said flukes having lower ends pivoted to the base, longer sides adjacent the shank, shorter sIdes remote from the shank and pointed ends adjacent the shank and remote from the base and formed by edges remote from the base connecting the longer and shorter sides of the flukes, flanges outstanding from the longer and shorter sides of the flukes, the flanges on the shorter sides of each fluke extending from the fluke in a direction opposite the flange on the longer side of the fluke, and the flanges on one fluke extending in a direction opposite the corresponding flange on the other fluke so each fluke has a downwardly extending flange to dig into a sand or like bottom and an upwardly extending flange to catch sand or the like and increase the holding ability of the fluke.
 2. An anchor having a base, a U-shaped shank upstanding from the base having spaced arms with lower ends fixed to the base and upper ends connected by a loop, a pair of generally planar flukes on opposite sides of the shank, said flukes having lower ends pivoted to the base and pointed ends spaced from each other, said pointed ends being adjacent the shank and remote from the base, and an elongated rope link having one side between the arms of the shank and the other side outside the shank, said rope link being long enough to fit over the pointed ends of the flukes and hold the flukes adjacent the shank for storage.
 3. The anchor of claim 1 in which the pointed ends of the flukes are spaced from each other, the anchor further has an elongated rope link having one side between the arms of the shank and the other side outside the shank, said rope link being long enough to fit over the pointed ends of the flukes and hold the flukes adjacent the shank for storage. 